COMMUNITY GRAIN BANKING - Changing the lives of farmers

It is a well-known fact that food is the most basic necessity for
survival. Then, come the other needs. So, ensuring food security
for all the people in the world is the need of the hour. Now, let
us look at a case study from the Kashipur District of Orissa,
India where establishment of community grain banks by an NGO has
changed the lives of the farmers living there.

Initially, the people living in that area were heavily dependent
on the borrowings from the moneylenders for buying agricultural
inputs, who charged exorbitant rates of interest. Therefore, the
farmers did not have any surplus left after harvest since they
had to pay their loans back. The alarming rate of deforestation
had further increased the severity of problem as availability of
food items such as fruits, tubers and mushrooms (which were used
as emergency foods during the lean season) had reduced. Thus, the
farmers fell into the cycle of debt and poverty.

An NGO named “Agragamee” which analyzed the situation in that
area came up with Community Grain Banking as the solution
to their problem. It trained the people of the community on the
management of grain banks, record keeping, grain storage and
calculation of interest on the money they lend through the grain
banks. They also provided them with initial monitoring and
support. Therefore the farmers were now able to sustain their
livelihoods, earn more profits and the people need not depend on
the money lenders anymore. The community was able to attain food
security. By looking at this case study, we can understand the
importance of community grain banks and the role of NGOs in
ensuring food security.